Direct numerical simulations of electrochemical reactions in turbulent flow

摘要

In most electrochemical processes as in continuous electro-deposition, mass transfer is governed by the near-wall hydrodynamics of the bath. The turbulent regime enhances significantly the mixing and consecutively the process itself. The situation examined here is that of a binary turbulent electrolyte flowing between two parallel electrodes. We simulate via direct numerical simulations (DNS) the behavior of the flow field, concentration and electrical potential. These three physics are linked by the Butler-Volmer boundary condition which acts at the electrode/electrolyte interface. Resolving the full problem represents a challenging task from a numerical point of view. We present the numerical methodology used in this work and all the quantitative results obtained. We also point at significant differences with the past published results, in particular on the mass transfer statistics, which tend to confirm that the fully coupled approach is necessary to obtain a fine and reliable description of the physic involved in such electrochemical transformations.